CN100409254C - Systems and methods for tamper detection - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method of tamper detection. A tamper detection system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a passive electronic sensor including a circuit having first, second, and third nodes; a load connected between the first and second nodes of the circuit; a friable electrical connection element connected between the second and third nodes of the circuit; and a storage unit, connected to the second node of the circuit, for storing an identification code of the sensor; wherein in use a voltage is applied across the first and third nodes of the circuit, and when the friable electrical connection element is intact, the second node of the circuit is at a first voltage, and when the friable electrical connection element is broken, the second node of the circuit is at a second voltage.

Description

Systems and methods for tamper detection

technical field

The present invention relates to systems and methods for tamper detection, and more particularly to systems and methods for using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

Background technique

Recent studies have shown that 80% of pharmaceuticals currently developed globally are biological products, such as biotherapeutics (eg vaccines) or biological supplies/samples (eg blood, serum, etc.). These products typically cost ten times as much as traditional products to handle during manufacturing and pass through the supply chain. These additional costs arise because biological products are often sensitive to environmental conditions and thus require specialized handling. For example, many biological products, such as enzymes, are temperature sensitive and must be handled and stored at low temperatures. Similarly, other biological products are sensitive to the presence of oxygen or other ambient gases. Therefore, these articles must be handled and stored in a vacuum environment. Biological products may react to and decay more rapidly than predicted by their official expiration date if they are exposed to certain environmental conditions or media during manufacture, storage or transport. Therefore, the safety of these products is questionable.

Biologics are often shipped in smaller volumes than conventional products, which further complicates matters. It is also envisioned that even smaller quantities of these articles will be routinely shipped in the future. Therefore, the major problem facing the pharmaceutical industry is to improve the control over the handling of biological products while reducing its overall transportation costs.

Security seals can be roughly divided into three types, namely tamper-evident seals, barrier seals and electronic seals. A tamper-evident seal does not guarantee that an item has not been tampered with. Rather, a tamper-evident seal provides evidence of ingress or contamination of the item to which it is attached. Tamper-evident seals are usually simple seals such as frangible sheets or films, crimped cables or other (theoretically) irreversible mechanical assemblies. Tamper detection is usually based on manual inspection of tamper-evident seals. However, while this process is acceptable for smaller quantities of items, it is not practical or reliable for large quantities of items.

In contrast to tamper-evident seals, electronic security seals actively monitor for tampering and provide real-time warnings when tampering occurs. Thus, electronic security seals facilitate quick, convenient and cost-effective controlled handling and storage of items without human intervention.

Electronic security seals typically require a power source. For example, US5111184 describes a device in which an optical cable is connected between the fixed and movable members of the container such that the cable bends when the container is opened and closed. Pulses of light are sent through the fiber optic cable, and changes in the pulse are detected when the cable is bent to indicate the opening and closing of the container. The device in US5111184 is powered by a battery pack. However, including a power source in an electronic security seal increases the cost, size and weight of the seal.

Passive RFID tags do not have their own power source. Instead, these devices have antennas that capture power from incoming radio frequency (RF) scans in the form of small currents induced in the antenna. This provides enough power for the tag to send responses to received RF scans. Since passive RFID tags do not require their own power source, tags can be designed to be very small. For example, US6275157 describes an RFID transponder embedded in the glass of a vehicle windscreen.

US6720866 describes an RFID tag device with a sensor input adapted to receive a variable signal (analog variable or digital variable) from a switch(es). Whilst the device described in US6720866 may be adapted to contain a sensor specially designed to detect the opening of the container, it is also necessary to contain several logic circuits to process the signals from the sensor. However, the inclusion of these logic circuits would make the device quite complex and thus expensive to manufacture.

WO02095655 describes a tamper indicating tag comprising a tamper track connected to an RFID component. In one embodiment, the attachment feature of the tamper track is adapted to break the tamper track when the indicium is tampered with. Similarly, CA2417616 describes a tamper indicating RFID tag designed to allow destruction of the tag when an attempt is made to remove the tag from a surface. In particular, the adhesion modifying coating is applied to portions of the marking to affect the relative strength of adhesion therebetween and thereby allow the marking to be differentially detached from the surface in an attempt to remove the marking therein.

Systems such as those described in CA2417616 and WO02095655 can detect removal of a container cap by applying a mark to the container such that one part of the mark is attached to the cap and the other part is attached to the container. With this scheme, the marker must come off the container to remove the lid. However, these systems detect the removal of the marker, rather than the specific act of opening the container. Therefore, these systems may be less secure than systems based on direct detection of open containers. On the other hand, a very complex marking manufacturing and fixing process is required to allow direct (absolute) detection of container opening.

Contents of the invention

The present invention relates to tamper detection systems and methods.

More specifically, the present invention discloses a tamper detection system comprising: a passive electronic sensor comprising a circuit arrangement having three nodes; a load connected between first and second nodes of the circuit arrangement; means for a frangible connection between the second and third nodes of the device; and means connected to the second node of the circuit device for storing the identification code of the passive electronic sensor (12); wherein, in use, at the first and a voltage provided on the third node, and wherein the second node is at a first voltage when the frangible link is intact, and is at a second voltage when the frangible link is broken, wherein the second node is at A change in voltage causes a change in the identification code of the passive electronic sensor stored in the device.

More specifically, the present invention discloses a container tampering detector comprising the system.

More specifically, the present invention discloses a method of detecting tampering with an article comprising a first member and a second member movable relative to the first member, the method comprising the steps of: attaching a passive electronic sensor to the first member , the passive electronic sensor includes a sensor identification code storage device and a loading device; - attaches the first end of the fragile electrical connection unit to the second member; and forms a series connection between the second end of the fragile electrical connection unit and the loading device connecting; connecting the sensor identification code storage means to a series connection at a location between the second end of the frangible electrical connection unit and the loading device, wherein when movement of the second member relative to the first member results in a frangible electrical connection Upon cell failure, the voltage at the second terminal changes, thereby changing the sensor identification code stored in the sensor identification code storage means.

More specifically, the present invention discloses a method of detecting tampering with a container comprising the steps of: attaching a passive electronic sensor to a first member of the container, the passive electronic sensor comprising a circuit arrangement having three nodes, connected at the circuit A load between the first and second nodes of the device and the second node of the connection circuit device, means for storing the identification code of the passive electronic sensor; attaching the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit to the A closing member of the moving container; a frangible connection means connected between the second and third nodes of the circuit arrangement; providing a voltage on the first and third nodes such that when the frangible connection means is complete the second node is at first voltage, and when movement of the closure member relative to the first member of the container breaks the breakable electrical connection unit, setting the second node to a second voltage, wherein a change in voltage at the second node results in a voltage stored in the device The identification code of the passive electronic sensor has changed.

Further embodiments of the invention are provided in the appended claims.

The advantages of the invention are set forth in detail in the description.

In particular, the present invention provides means for improving the control of the handling of sensitive articles by enabling remote and automatic interrogation (without visual inspection) of containers of articles to determine whether the containers have been tampered with. This facilitates rapid container integrity checks and results in increased security of the article since traditional mechanisms for determining whether an article has been tampered with are often prone to human error.

Further advantages and aspects of the invention can be found in the appended claims and the description.

Description of drawings

Referring now by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1(a) is a side view of a tamper detector attached to an unopened container;

Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of a tamper detector attached to an opened container;

Figure 2(a) is a circuit/logic diagram of a register in the tamper detector of Figure 1(a); and

Figure 2(b) is a circuit/logic diagram of the registers in the tamper detector of Figure 1(b).

Detailed ways

Referring to Figure 1(a), a tamper detector 10 includes an RFID tag 12 having a memory register (not shown), and external circuitry in the form of a thin metal ring 14 connected to the least significant bit (LSB) of the memory register. In use, the tamper detector 10 is attached to a container 16 that includes a first portion 18 that is open at one end, and a lid 20 that is fittable over the open end of the first portion 18 to close the container 16 .

The tamper detector 10 is attached to the container 16 in a configuration in which the RFID tag 12 is glued (or embedded) to the first portion 18 and the thin metal ring 14 is connected to the lid 20 . The thin metal ring 14 may be attached to the lid by any of a variety of methods ranging from simple adhering with a suitable glue to containing the thin metal ring 14 in a hole in the lid 20, which is then sealed using an epoxy-based adhesive. 20. Referring to Figure 1(b), using this configuration, in an attempt to tamper with the container 16, movement of the lid 20 (necessary to open the container 16) causes the thin metal ring 14 attached thereto to be broken.

Referring to FIG. 2( a ), RFID tag 12 includes circuitry having three nodes 22 , 24 and 26 . An antenna (not shown) of the RFID tag is connected to a load resistor R, and the load resistor is connected between nodes 22 and 26 . An RFID tag can pass an ID by which it is typically stored in the memory (EEPROM or FRAM) of the RFID tag 12 and communicated to the tag's memory register 32 (on receipt of an incoming RF signal) for subsequent transmission to a reader (not shown). Number 30 to identify. At this point, the least significant bit (LSB) of the tag's memory register 32 is connected to node 24 .

When the container is first closed and sealed with a tamper detector, the thin metal ring 14 forms an electrical connection with the RFID tag 12 to connect (via the incoming RF signal) the voltage induced in the RFID tag's antenna to ground, where the thin Metal ring 14 is connected between nodes 24 and 26 . Thus, the electrical connection formed by the complete thin metal ring 14 guarantees that the voltage of the LSB of the memory register setting the tag has a low level. This results in an even tag ID number of 30.

However, referring to Figure 2(b), if the container is opened, the thin metal ring 14 and the electrical connection to the RFID tag 12 are broken (ie the voltage induced in the tag's antenna is not connected to ground). Therefore, the voltage of the LSB of the memory register 32 which sets the tag reaches a high value. As a result, the tag ID numbers become odd values.

In summary, the container's RFID tag replies to the reader with an even identification code value after the container has been closed for the first time, and with an odd value if the container has been opened. In other words, the destruction of the thin metal ring 14 changes the response returned by the RFID tag 12 when read such that even if the container is reassembled to its original state, the tag will still report the container as open.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

1. A tamper detection system comprising: a passive electronic sensor (12) comprising a circuit arrangement having three nodes; a load connected between the first and second nodes of the circuit arrangement; frangible connection means (14) connected between the second and third nodes of the circuit arrangement; and means (32) for storing the identification code of the passive electronic sensor (12), connected to the second node of the circuit arrangement; wherein, in use, voltages are provided on the first and third nodes, and wherein, when the frangible connection means (14) is intact, the second node is at the first voltage, and when the frangible connection means (14) is broken , the second node is at a second voltage, wherein a change in the voltage at the second node causes a change in the identification code of the passive electronic sensor (12) stored in the device (32). 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is substantially equal to zero. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is substantially equal to the supplied voltage. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the passive electronic sensor (12) is a radio frequency identification sensor. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the frangible electrical connection means (14) is a metal ring. 6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frangible electrical connection means (14) is connectable to a bit of the sensor identification code storage means (32). 7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein breakage of the frangible electrical connection means (14) results in a voltage change on the sensor identification code storage means (32) changing its bit value. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the bits of the sensor identification code storage (32) are least significant bits. 9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor identification code has an even value when the frangible connection device (14) is intact, and has an odd value when the frangible connection device (14) is broken. 10. A container tamper detector comprising a system as claimed in any preceding claim. 11. A method of detecting tampering with an article comprising a first member and a second member movable relative to the first member, the method comprising the steps of: - attaching a passive electronic sensor (12) to the first member, the passive electronic sensor (12) comprising sensor identification code storage means (32) and loading means; - attaching the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) to the second member (20); and - forming a series connection between the second end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) and the loading device; - at a position between the second end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) and the loading device, connect the sensor identification code storage means (32) to the series connection so that when the movement of the second member relative to the first member When the breakable electrical connection unit (14) is caused to break, the voltage at the second terminal changes, thereby changing the sensor identification code stored in the sensor identification code storage device (32). 12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) is attached to the closure member (20) of the container (16) with glue. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) is attached to the closure member (20) of the container (16) by: - forming a hole in the closing member (20); - inserting the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) into the hole; and - Fixing the first end of the frangible electrical connection element (14) in the hole with an epoxy-type adhesive material. 14. A method of detecting tampering with a container comprising the steps of: - a first member for attaching a passive electronic sensor (12) to the container (16), the passive electronic sensor (12) comprising a circuit arrangement with three nodes, the first and second nodes connected between the circuit arrangement means (32) for storing the identification code of the passive electronic sensor (12) of the load and connected to the second node of the circuit arrangement; - attaching the first end of the frangible electrical connection unit (14) to a closure member (20) of the container which is movable relative to the first member; - frangible connection means (32) connected between the second and third nodes of the circuit arrangement; and - providing a voltage on the first and third nodes such that the second node is at the first voltage when the frangible connection means (32) is complete, and when the closure member (20) relative to the first member of the container (16) setting the second node to a second voltage when the movement breaks the fragile electrical connection unit (14), wherein a change in voltage at the second node results in an identification code of the passive electronic sensor (12) being stored in the device (32) changes happened.

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